62 THEORJOLE vol. 78 • 1- 4 FROM THE FIELD AUGUST·NOVEM BER 2013 Nore: The appearance of observations in this section does not suggest verification or acceptance ofa record. Observations of Review Species need to be documented and a rare bird report submitted to the Georgia Checklist and Records Committee (GCRC) for consideration. Fall 2013 brought a spate of interesting sightings, including the first state record of Tropical Kingbird in Clarke Co. and the third record of White.faced Ibis in Sumter Co. followed by the discovery of a Say's Phoebe there the next day. At the coast, an adult Northern Goshawk and Snow Bunting delighted a lucky few on Little St. Simons Island. A very success ful pelagic trip from St Mary's found multiple Black·capped Petrels, 7 Brown Boobies, and a Long·tailed Jaeger, while inland birders were treated to a remarkable 3 Sabine's Gulls at Lake Hartwel I. Abbreviations: ACOGB - Annotated Checklist of Georgia Birds, 2003, Beaton, G. et al., GOS Occ. Publ. No. 14; AIC - Andrews Island Causeway and spoil site, Glynn Co.; AP - American Proteins settling ponds, Forsyth Co.; AWMA - Altamaha Waterfowl Management Area, Mcintosh Co.; BCL - Bartow Co. Loop, a cluster of sod fur ms and cattle ponds on Brandon Farm Road and Taff Road, west of Cartersville; BUENWR - Bradley Unit of the Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge, Stewart Co.; CBC - Christmas Bird Count; CCWA - Clayton Co. Water Authority, Clayton Co.; CI NS - Cumberland Island National Sea~hore , Camden Co.; CLRL - Carter's Lake Re-regulation Lake area, Murray Co.; COP - Centennial Olympic Park, Fulton Co.; CRNRA - Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area; CSU - Cochran Shoals Unit of the CRNRA, Cobb Co.; GI - Gould's Inlet, St. Simons Island, Glynn Co.; HP - Henderson Park, DeKalb Co.; JI - Jekyll Island, Glynn Co.; JIBS - Jekyll Island Banding Station, Glynn Co.; KMT - Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, Cobb Co.; LC! - Little Cumberland Island, Camden Co.; LSSI - Little St. Simons Island, Glynn Co.; LT! - Little Tybee Island, Chatham Co.; LWFG - Lake Walter F. George, Clay Co.; MBBP - Merry Brothers Brickyard Ponds, Richmond Co.; m. ob. - multiple observers; MSS - Marshallville Super Sod Farm, Macon Co.; MWSS (Mid-winter Shorebird Survey ofthe Georgia coast); NAB - No11h America11 Bird.< (journal of the American Birding Association); NWR - National Wildlife Refuge; OM - Oxbow Meadows Environmental vol 78 • 1- 4 THE ORJOLE 63 Learning Center, Muscogee Co.; PCR · Pine Chapel Road, Gordon Co.; ph. · photographed; PSNP · Phinizy Swamp Nature Park, Richmond Co.; Region · when capitalized, refers to Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina; SBG · State Botanical Garden of Georgia, Clarke Co.; SCI - St. Catherines Island, Liberty Co.; SF - sod farm; SP - State Park; SSI - St. Simons Island, Glynn Co.; TI - Tybee Island, Chatham Co.; WMA - Wildlife Management Area; WPD - West Point Dam, liarris and Troup cos. Note: Species that appear in a bold-fa~ed font represent those that were considered "review" species by the GCRC during the year of the sighting. This list changes from year to year. The current review list may be viewed at the following link: hllp:/lwww.go.<.org/checkli.<l.<lreporrable.<.hlml GCRC activity, including the status of reports listed as "pending" as of press time, may be viewed at the following link: hllp:/lwww.go.<.org/checkli.<l.<lgcrc-acrivily.html SPECIES ACCOUNTS BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK - The high count for the period was 150 at AWMA on 21 September (Odie Durden). GREATER Wli !TE-FRONTED GOOSE - A flock of 3 0 flew over Catoosa Co. on I November (David Jiollie) representing a new state high count, and 4 were at Lake Lanier's Bllford Dam, Forsyth Co., the same day (Jim Flynn). SNOW GOOSE - A blue phase bird at Ward Road, Greene Co., 4-20 August (Patrick Brisse, liugh Garrett, Terry Moore) is likely to be the long-staying bird from the Bostwick area. The first fall migrant was seen in Dougherty Co. on 29 October (Larry Gridley) and a good count of 120 flew over Lake Oconee, Putnam Co., on 10 November (Jim Flynn). ROSS' S GOOSE - One was in Crawfish Springs, Walker Co., on 29 November (Ken Blankenship, Rebecca Byrd; GCRC 2013-50). TUNDRA SWAN - Six were seen at West Dam Park, Columbia Co., on 19 November (per www.ebird.org) and 10 landed briefly at PSNP on 20 November (Calvin Zippier). MOTTLED DUCK - The high count from the coast was 50 at AWMA on 2 August (Rosemary Kramer). Inland, one was on liighway 32, Lee Co., on 2 September (Larry Gridley, Wayne Schaffner), and 2 were at PSNP on 29-30 November (m. ob.). CINNAMON TEAL - One was at AWMA on I0-11 October (Patty McLean, Kathy Miller; GCRC 2013-47). 64 THEORJOLE vol. 78 • 1- 4 NORTHERN PINTAIL· An u nsea~onable bird was seen at McGinnis Ferry, Forsyth Co., on 7 August (Nathan Farnau); since this is a month earlier than the state early arrival date listed in ACOGB, this may be an injured or over· summering bird. SURF SCOTER · Inland, one was at Lake Lanier on I November (Jim Flynn) with 2 there on 22 November (Patrick Addy, Nathan Farnau) and 2 were at WPD on 25 November (James White). The coastal high count for the period was 7 at Cockspur Island, Chatham Co., on 27 November (Steve Drilling, Christopher Rustay). Wli ITE-WINGED SCOTER - Single birds were seen at Rock Eagle, Putnam Co., on 27 October (Matthew Schenck) and Lake Oliver Marina, Muscogee Co., on 26 November (Mason Jarrett). BLACK SCOTER - The only inland report wa~ one at Clarks Hi II Dam, Columbia Co., on 10 November (Jim Flynn, Pat Markey). COMMON GOLDENEYE - Single birds were at Lake Acworth, Cobb Co., on 13 November (Angie Jenkins), downstream of WPD, Troup Co., on 29 November (Jim Jianna, Mark McShane), and AP on 30 November (Jim Flynn). Four were at Lake Seminole Dam, Decatur Co., on 30 November (Lisa and Mark liughes). HOODED MERGANSER - One bird was at WPD on 25 August (Jim Flynn). PACIFIC LOON - One was at Lake Lanier on 14 November (Jim Flynn; GCRC 2013-48) with presumably the same bird seen there on 22 November (ph., Patrick Addy, Nathan Farnau). Pacific Loon, G\\·innett Co., 22 No,·en1ber, by Nathan Farnau COMMON LOON - An unseasonable bird at WPD on 21 September (Nathan Farnau, Joel McNeal) is a new fall early arrival date for the state. HORNED GREBE - A very early bird was at Richard B. Russell Dam, Elbert Co., on 15 September (Jim Flynn, Pat Markey). EARED GREBE - One wa~ at Lake Blalock, Jienry Co., from 22-28 September (Jeff Sewell, m. ob.). BLACK-CAPPED PErREL - A good count of27 was recorded on a pelagic trip from St. Marys on 7 September (m. ob.). CORY'S SliEARWATER- Nine were seen on a pelagic trip from St. Marys on 7 September (m. ob.). vol 78 • 1- 4 THE ORJOLE 65 AUDUBON'S SHEARWATER · Nine were seen on a pelagic trip from St. Marys on 7 September (m. ob.). WOOD STORK - Relatively few were seen above the Fall Line this year, with one in Oconee Co. on 3 August (Rick Lavender), one in Greene Co., on 5 August (Jim Hanna), and 2 in Oglethorpe Co. on 25 August (Brandon Adams). BROWN BOOBY - Seven were seen on a pelagic trip from St. Mary's on 7 September (m. ob.; GCRC 2014-29). Bro"'" Booby, Georgia pelagic "·aters, 1 Septen1ber 2013, by Mary Ann Teal ANJilNGA - The northernmost record was of one at Georgia International Horse Park, Rockdale Co., on 6 September (Nathan Farnau). AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN -Inland, the high count from WPDwas96on 11 November (Pat Markey), 2 were at Murphey Candler Park, DeKalb Co., from 15-24 November (Patty McLean, m. ob.), and one was at Lake Varner, Newton Co., on 16 November (Theresa Hartz, Georgann Schmalz). The coa~tal high count for the period was 172 at A IC on 12 November (Gene Keferl). BROWN PELICAN - An inland bird was at Evans Co. Public Fishing Area on 21 November (Sandy Beasley, Brenda Brannen). LEAST BITTERN - A late bird was still present in Albany, Dougherty Co., on 17 October (Wayne Schaffner). SNOWY EGRET - Scarce above the Fall Line, a good count of 7 came from Huie Ponds, CCWA, on 4 August (Jeff Sewell). LITTLE BLUE HERON - Rather late for the Piedmont, 2 birds lingered at Georgia International Horse Park, Rockdale Co., on 3 October (Jeff Sewell). TRICOLORED HERON - Rare above the Fall Line, one was at Rock Eagle 4-H Center, Putnam Co., on 21 August (Matthew Schenck). CATTLE EGRET - The northernmost record was one on the BCL on 2-4 August (m. ob.). BLACK-CROWNED N IGHT-HERON - The only record north of the Fall Line wa~ one at Jiuie Ponds, CCWA, on 22 November (Bill Lotz, Jeff Sewell). YELLOW-CROWNED NlGHT-IiERON - North of the Fall Line, this species was reported from the regular site ofCSU through 4 September (m. ob.), and one wa~ at Georgia International Horse Park, Rockdale Co., on 3 August (Nathan Farnau, Jeff Sewell). WHITE IBIS - A lower than usual post-breeding dispersal into the state's 66 THEORJOLE vol. 78 • 1- 4 interior, with only one report north of the Fall Line in Oglethorpe Co., on the rather late date of27 October (Leila Dasher). GLOSSY IBIS · Rare north of the Fall Line, one was in Bartow Co. on 22 September (Renee Carleton) and one wa~ in Oglethorpe Co. on 15 October (James Neves). WHJTE-FACE.O IBIS · An adult present at Pryor Road Pond, Sumter Co., on 20 October (Larry Gridley; GCRC 2013 -46) is the third state record. It was seen alongside a second, juvenile ibis that wa~ not identified to species.